Preparedness Homeland Security - Assignment Example

HOMELAND SECURITY: NATIONAL INCIDENT MANAGEMENT SYSTEM (NIMS) Introduction: The National Incident Management System NIMS is the system for the coordination of emergency preparedness and incident management among the various federal, state and local agencies of United States of America. The National Incident Management is now the mandatory structured framework that is used at all the levels for dealing with calamities like natural disasters and terrorist attacks in United States of America. In compliance with the Homeland Security Presidential Directive ( HSPD-5) all federal departments, state local and tribal agencies are required to adopt the National Incident Management System ( NIMS ) and use it in their individual domestic incident management and emergency prevention, preparedness, response, recovery and mitigation activities . How the NIMS model can benefit the state-level Homeland Security procedures? The NIMS model can benefit the state level homeland security procedures in many ways. The National Incident Management System reconciles the dichotomy of flexibility and standardization. The flexibility in the NIMS framework comes from the adjustable and very flexible national framework within which government agencies at the federal level and state level can work together to manage calamities and terrorist attacks. This flexibility is very beneficial for state-level Homeland security procedures. Before the implementation of National Incident Management System (NIMS ) the state-level Security procedures were often too rigid and lacked flexibility. The lack of flexibility in the state level homeland security procedures often was responsible for the lack of effectiveness of the response towards disasters and terrorist attacks. The flexibility in the approach is complemented with a standard set of organizational structures and processes that are meant to increase the effectiveness of disaster management operations that involve numerous jurisdictions and disciplines. The standard incident management processes and protocols at the federal, state, tribal and local levels will increase the effectiveness of coordination. This also means that in the event of a homeland security incident the various levels of responders will be able to share a common focus. The state level security procedures will be enhanced because the different emergency teams will be sharing a common language, processes and set of procedures. The different incident management processes identified under the National Incident Management Systems (NIMS): i) Exercises, ii) Qualification and certification, iii) Communications interoperability, iv) Doctrinal changes, iv) Training, v) Publications, vi) Public affairs, vii) Equipping viii) evaluating, ix) Incident management. The identification of the above processes makes it possible that the individual processes of incident can be continuously improved upon at the level of state homeland security procedures. By unifying the response community as never before, the National Incident Management System ( NIMS ) lends an unprecedented edge to state-level homeland security procedures ( Jensen J 12). The key features of National Incident Management System are: 1) Incident Command System ( ICS ). 2) Communications and Information Management. 3) Preparedness. 4) Joint Information System. 5) National Incident Management System Integration center (NIC). The incident command structure of National Incident Management System ( NIMS ) is based on three key organizational systems. These are: i) Public information systems. ii) Multi-agency coordination system (MAC). iii) Incident Command System. Advantages of a communications and joint information system under the National Incident Management System (NIMS): The joint information system will have the advantage of providing the public with accurate information relating to incidents like natural disasters and terrorist attacks. A unified message is relayed to the public. The Joint Information Centers ( JIC ) employed by the joint information system of the national incident management system bring incident communications together during times of crisis and disasters. These incident messages are then developed, coordinated and delivered as a unified message by the Joint Information Systems of the national incident management system. This has the effect of ensuring that federal, state and local levels of government are releasing the same information during an incident. In many crises, before the implementation of NIMS, the different levels of government were found to be releasing different and sometimes contradictory information regarding an incident or terrorist attack (Arthur S. Hulnick 84) . Standardized communications during an incident are essential. The interoperable communications system prescribed under the National Information management system will mean that the agencies at the state-level and the local level are participating in standardized communications which are also being shared at the Federal level. This will have the effect of giving the responders and managers at the level of state a common picture that is also being shared by the managers and responders at the local and federal levels also. The sharing of a common picture by the responders and managers across all jurisdictions and agencies will increase the effectiveness and efficiency of response to incidents like natural disasters and terrorist attacks ( Jensen J 4) . Responding to incidents like natural disasters and terrorist attacks requires coordination at the three levels of local, state and federal (Marilyn B. Peterson, Bob Morehouse and Dick Wright 94). Having a common communications and joint information system makes this process of coordination more efficient and effective. Information software systems like the HAZUS (Hazards United States ) play a key role in this. The HAZUS software was developed by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). Advantages of the management and sharing of resources under the National Incident Management System (NIMS) The objective of management and sharing of resources under the National Incident Management System is to enable efficient and effective utilization of the available national resources in dealing with incidents like natural disasters and terrorist attacks. The resource management under National Incident Management system includes multi-aid agreements, resource mobilization protocols etc. The biggest advantage that accrues to state-level homeland security procedures comes in the form of quick mobilization of resources in the events of incidents like natural disasters and terrorist attacks. NIMS establishes Incident command system (ICS) as the incident management organization with five functional areas. These areas are: i) Command. ii) Planning. iii) Logistics. iv) Operations. v) Finance & administration. The logistics functional area of the incident management organization of NIMS deals with quick mobilization of resources. Mobilization of resources is one of the critical factors of success in dealing with incidents like natural disasters and terrorist attacks. The efficient and effective mobilization of resources makes the state-level security procedures more capable in dealing with incidents. The sharing of resources is another advantage that National Incident Management system lends to the state-level homeland security procedures. The sharing of resources between the different states and agencies means that the national resources can be leveraged in a more effective way in dealing with incidents like natural disasters and terrorist attacks. The resource utilization under the National incident management system has two objectives: efficiency and effectiveness in utilization of the available resources at disposal. Efficient utilization of the resources means that the available resources are put to best use while dealing with crises like natural disasters and terrorist attacks. Effective utilization of resources implies that the resource utilization leads to quick recovery from incidents like natural disasters and terrorist attacks. Advantages of Multi-Agency coordination that will accrue to state-level homeland security procedures: The Multi- Agency Coordination (MAC) system of National Incident Management System ( NIMS ) is responsible for the coordination of personnel, facilities, equipments, processes and procedures, and communications during times of incidents like natural disasters and terrorist attacks. The advantages of multi-agency coordination are many. It ensures that each agency involved in incident management is providing appropriate situational awareness and resource status information. The multi-agency coordination at federal, state and local levels also plays a critical role in establishing priorities between incidents and area commands. A functional hierarchy is needed during times of crises and multi-agency coordination does that. At the state level this means coordination with federal agencies as well as local and tribal agencies. The Multi-agency coordination system also plays a vital role in establishing a unified command during natural disasters and terrorist attacks. The multi-agency coordination plays a vital role in acquisition and allocation of resources during times of crises. These resources are required by incident management personnel for dealing with the disaster situation. The multi-agency coordination system also does forecasting by identifying and arranging for future resource requirements. This is complemented with strategic coordination and direction for the different agencies and personnel involved in relief work. The multi-agency coordination also plays a vital role in resolving any policy issues that emerge out of the situation. These policy issues need to be resolved in real-time so that the focus is not shifted from the relief work at hand. The multi-agency coordination also plays a very important role in “preparedness”. The preparedness incorporates a range of measures, actions and processes accomplished before an incident happens. The preparedness measures of the National Incident Management System ( NIMS ) involve measures such as planning, training, exercises, qualification and certification, equipment acquisition and publications management. The measures required for preparedness are possible only through multi-agency coordination. Many of the pre-incident actions are standardized and are made consistent with the mutually agreed doctrines of the different state-level and federal agencies. Conclusion: The objective of National Incident Management system ( NIMS ) is to provide a unified response to incidents like natural disasters and terrorist attacks. The need for a National Incident Management System ( NIMS ) became even more apparent after the September 11 attacks on the twin towers of World Trade center and other targets of strategic importance ( W.W. Norton 17) . During crisis of such magnitude fragmented response by one state or state level agency is insufficient. A standard, strategic response is required that can also be customized according to the needs of different situations is required. The National Incident Management System ( NIMS ) aims to put all the available resources at the Federal, state and local level to deal effectively with disasters and terrorist attacks. The National Incident Management System ( NIMS ) is therefore a very effective tool for dealing with incidents that have an adverse impact on the welfare and security of citizens of United States of America. The benefit of the NIMS model for state level security procedures cannot be understated. By implementation of the NIMS model, state level security procedures have the potential to become more effective in their responses to incidents like natural disasters or terrorist attacks. References: W.W. Norton. 9/11 Commission: The 9/11 Commission Report at http://www.9-11commission.gov/report/911Report.pdf 2004, Arthur S. Hulnick. Keeping Us Safe Secret Intelligence and Homeland Security. Connecticut :Praeger, 2004. Print. Marilyn B. Peterson, Bob Morehouse and Dick Wright. Intelligence 2000: Revising the Basic Elements. New York : IALEIA and LEIU, 2001. Print. Jensen J. The Current NIMS implementation Behavior of United States Counties. Fargo: North Dakota State University, 2010. Print. Jensen J. NIMS in action: A case study of the systems use and utilities. Fargo: North Dakota University, 2008. Print. Read More